Announcing minimum wages of untrained and trained workers at Rs 16500 and Rs 17000 to Rs 19000, respectively, Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar said on Wednesday that the insurance scheme is being introduced for the treatment of laborers after retirement and a complaint cell will also be set up to facilitate laborers and workers.
Inaugurating the labor colony in Warburton area of Nankana Sahib District, the CM distributed allotment letters of 208 flats among the industrial workers. He also inaugurated the launch of Sehat Insaf Card scheme in Nankana Sahib by distributing Sehat Insaf Cards.
While addressing the ceremony, the CM said that 70-acre land has been allocated for the establishment of Baba Guru Nanak University in Nankana Sahib, adding that this scheme will be included in the next financial year's development program. Meanwhile, district jail, police lines, NADRA office, and a new land record center will also be set up in the district. Labor colonies will be constructed in every district and allotment of 1189 flats of labor colonies of Lahore and Multan will be started soon.
Usman Buzdar said the common man was badly ignored and he was deceived in the name of 'roti, kapra aur makan'. If laborers are kept deprived of their rights for the last 70 years then certainly some mistakes had been made in the past, he said. Many more labor colonies will be established in the province through Punjab Workers Welfare Board, he added. Moreover, social security hospitals will be made centers of excellence in phases and gynae ward of the social security hospital at Kot Lakhpat in Lahore will be upgraded.
He said a MoU has been signed with Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre to start a health management information system in social security hospitals. He announced that marriage grant will be increased from Rs 100,000 to Rs 150,000 while the amount of death grant will be enhanced from Rs 0.5 million to Rs 0.6 million.
He said a comprehensive Punjab Labor Policy 2018 has been approved by the cabinet and necessary amendments are also being made in labor laws to facilitate the workers. Domestic servants have been acknowledged as labor workers in Punjab and Punjab Domestic Workers Law, 2019, has been enforced. Similarly, Punjab Workplace Occupational Safety and Health Act, 2018, have also been launched to save the children from child labor and education and technical training will also be arranged for them.
He said around seven million families and 35 million people will be benefited from Sehat Insaf Card scheme across Punjab. The poorest people could be able to get the facility of quality treatment from good private hospitals and workers will also be provided Sehat Insaf Cards.
Health Minister Dr. Yasmin Rashid said that 88,000 Sehat Insaf Cards will be distributed in Nankana Sahib and retired laborers will also be provided these cards. Usman Buzdar is a poor-friendly human being who happily solves their problems, she added. Federal Minister Ijaz Shah and Provincial Minister Ansar Majeed Niazi also spoke on the occasion.